Ella Tinsley has the recap for WROY/WRUL News…
For the regular items of the agenda, street and utility maintenance remained a priority, with ongoing street lighting repairs discussed alongside bids for lagoon aerators. The board also continued moving forward on bids for security camera upgrades, reflecting a broader push to improve coverage and monitoring in community areas. In parallel, park improvements are in progress, including a $2,200 grant from Clayton Plumbing and proposals for opting for solar-powered park lighting.
Community facilities and long-term upkeep were also discussed in the evening’s meeting. The board discussed community center floor stabilization. As the mayor noted, “Estimates for community center repairs, we’ve been getting them all along. I actually got one for 55 to 65,000 to pump something on the floors to stabilize them, from a company in Kentucky.” and outlined continued steps toward finalizing plans for that work.
Water operations and related financial planning were addressed as part of keeping current services stable. To respond to a reported $12,000 loss and an upcoming $40,000 insurance bill, the board unanimously approved a 2.5% increase in water rates, with another review planned for next quarter. As village board member Jim Bolin explained to another board member, the reasoning for the rate increase, “So we went up for what and covered what our cost was, and then we additionally two and a half percent above that. And now we’re raising it another two and a half percent. We made the motion, she seconded it.”
Grant work continues to be a major driver of current project planning. Heather Neuman, the village’s grant writer, provided an update on pending applications for development block grants, park grants, and infrastructure upgrades. A key point raised in the discussion was the need for a certified project engineer to satisfy grant requirements, with the board considering potential candidates from within the local community to support compliance moving forward.
Alongside project updates, residents raised concerns tied to neighborhood appearance and enforcement. The board heard issues related to property cleanup after a house fire, unkempt mobile home lawns, and community concerns about perceived inactivity by the local police officer. The board acknowledged the comments and indicated additional attention and follow-up discussions are likely.
In “other business,” the board approved Main Street closure and use of the parking lot for upcoming festivities for Mule Day, passed a motion to renew the current Mule Day Banner, and approve the use of their meeting building’s parking lot for a vendor fair the weekend of the celebrations. Additionally the board made a note to remind that permits for golf carts and UTVs are due.